


Hoping

by madwriter223



Category: Atlantis (UK TV)
Genre: Fall of Icarus, Gen, Grief/Mourning, I Was Aiming For the Feels, M/M, Mental Anguish, very sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 08:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3321392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madwriter223/pseuds/madwriter223
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason remembered going to the museum once, when he'd been in primary school. One of the paintings they'd seen that day was about the fall of Icarus. He couldn't help remembering that painting now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hoping

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by me thinking about Atlantis and the painting _Landscape with the Fall of Icarus_ by Pieter Bruegel

Jason remembered going to the museum once, when he'd been in primary school. One of the paintings he'd seen that day was about the fall of Icarus. It was a scene of a field and a busy gulf. There was a group of ships and a few people, and everyone was engrossed in their work. In one single corner of the painting, in one tiny bit, there was Icarus. Already drowning, feathers strewn all around him in the water. None of the other people had noticed him fall. Or maybe no one had cared. Either way, the Icarus in the painting died alone. All alone.

Sometimes Jason felt as if all he could do was hope. Hope that Medusa is never cursed. Hope that Oedipus never meets his parents when he's all grown. Hope that Icarus keeps both feet firmly on the ground for the rest of his life. That he never puts on the wings from his father, that he is never stupid enough to disregard Daedalus's warnings.

And Jason kept hoping, even though it changed nothing. It hadn't helped Medusa, it probably won't help Oedipus and it certainly hadn't helped Icarus. His hoping had also done nothing for Pythagoras.

Whether it was Fate or a cruel coincidence, Icarus had taken those wings and flown on them. To show off. To impress. But he'd flown too high and plummeted straight to his death.

And Pythagoras had seen it all. Every last second of it.

Jason wrapped his arms tighter around Pythagoras, holding him securely against his chest. It wasn't really necessary any more. The blond didn't have much energy left. He'd fought so hard when Jason had dragged him from the sea, had fought and screamed and struggled. But now he was pressing his face against Jason's shoulder, his entire body shaking.

“Please!” he sobbed, his tears hot like acid against Jason's skin. “Please, let me go! Jason, please!”

Jason held him tighter, tucking Pythagoras's head under his chin. He knew that the moment he let Pythagoras go, he'd be right back in the sea, trying to swim to where Icarus had fallen. To where Icarus had drowned. 

“Jason, _please_! Save him! He's drowning! _Please_!”

But it was too far from the shore. Much too far, especially for someone with Pythagoras's stamina. And one death was enough for today. So Jason held his grieving friend close and listened to his heartbreaking pleas.

Before, he'd secretly, quietly hoped that this Icarus would be like the one from that painting. That no one would notice. That no one would have to feel this pain. That Pythagoras wouldn't have to feel it. He knew how horrible that sounded, but he'd hoped. He'd hoped so hard.

His own eyes were stinging as he now fervently hoped that Pythagoras would survive this and manage to go back to his old self. That he would survive this unchanged. That he would forgive Jason for stopping him. For not even letting him try to save Icarus.

Jason already knew fully well how fruitless his hoping was. He still couldn't bring himself to stop.


End file.
